MODKKN SHKEP: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT. 99 



There is not a shadow of doubt but what the Romney Marsh 

 is nn ideal sheep for certain sections of this country. So far as 

 the writer can learn but one or two small flocks of the breed has, 

 as yet, been tried here. Mr. Wm. Riddell, Jr., of the firm of Wm. 

 Riddell & Sons,- the well known Oregon breeders of pure bred long- 

 wool sheep, showed a small flock of "Romneys" at the St. Louis 

 World's Fair, which did not meet with a great deal of favorable 

 consideration, no doubt on account of their being only in ordinary 

 breeding condition and their being shown under the disadvantage 

 of having only recently landed after -a long and tiresome voyage. 

 That the breed is entitled to consideration by Oregon sheep breed- 

 ers is manifested in the following letter from the junior member 

 of the above mentioned firm, who says: "I have an idea that you 

 know a good deal more about these or any other breed of sheep 

 than I do, and all I can tell you is how they are doing here, and 

 how they seem to compare with the other two breeds which we 

 raise the Lincoln and Cotswold. 



"The climate and feed here seems to suit the Romneys 

 exactly and they simply could not do better than they have done. 

 The fleece is finer in staple than the Lincoln or Cotswold, and I 

 was somewhat surprised after shearing to find that they averaged 

 in weight fully as well as the other two breeds. 



"In size the sheep I have are much larger than the average 

 Lincoln or Cotswold, and they seem to be a hardier and more 

 vigorous sheep in every way, seeming to prefer to stand outside 

 in a pouring rain to going under a shelter with the other sheep, 

 and their fleece seems to be well adapted to shed the rains which 

 are so frequent in this climate in the winter season. 



"So far my little flock has not increased much on account 

 of the fact that nearly all the lambs have been rams, and after 

 selling six of these I have left seven ewes and a buck. I hope 

 before long to be able to get some more from the Old Country. 



"In general appearance the Romneys bear a considerable re- 

 semblance to the Lincolns, the main difference being in the char- 

 acter of the fleece. The Romney fleece is more like that of the 

 middlewools in some ways, than the longwools, and they have a 

 very bulky fleece, compared with a fleece of the same weight of 

 either the Lincoln or Cotswold. 



"The forehead is almost bare of wool, as is usually the case 

 with the Lincolns here, but I have seen a picture of a flock of 

 Romney rams in New Zealand, some of which had a very good 

 f oretop ; but I understand that in general the sheep are like those 

 I have, in that respect. 



"Everything considered I think the breed is going to be a 

 very valuable one for this climate, and I intend to stay with 

 them and give them the best show I am able to. The climate 

 here is so similar to that of their native country that they have 



